Colder
by MandyQ
Summary: It's New Years's Eve, the first without Voldemort. Lucius and Narcissa entertain Family and an unexpected guest bearing news that will affect them forever. OneShot. TDH Spoilers. TDH compliant. Please Read and Review.


DISCLAIMER: These people and this magic that they live within is all the property of the magical JK Rowling and the magic makers at Scholastic and Warner Brothers. I only bring to them a happy moment for which I have not been paid, do not intend to be paid, and do not even wish to be paid. My only wish is that it be understood that I mean no infringement upon the magic makers and that they choose not to sue me.

A/N: written for the SS Icicle January 2008 Challenge.

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Narcissa Malfoy did not make a habit of disappearing from social functions to stand on the lawn in the rain, but tonight something had kept her from being social. So tonight she leaned against a live oak on the North forty and watched as the snowflakes drifted down and settled onto the grass. She didn't even feel guilty about abandoning the party. Maybe it was that the occasion wasn't exactly a party…. It was the first New Year's Eve since the world had gone awful on them and Narcissa was holding her breath until midnight. Her husband and son, sister and great-nephew were up at the house telling stories about New Years' past and considering a vintage for a midnight toast and Narcissa had found the whole conversation so appallingly banal that she couldn't stand it anymore.

It wasn't as though she relished dwelling on the horrible events of the last year. And, if she could be entirely honest with herself, she would have admitted to a little joy at the thought of her family- all of her remaining family- gathered around her fireplace and enjoying each other's company. But tonight seemed as though it was the last chance to get certain things out in the open. If secrets and madness made it in to the New Year then perhaps they would never be exorcized.

In only a few hours they would be able to refer to the occupation of the manor as having happened 'last year'. The war was 'last year', Bella and Roddy and Stan and Severus and little Vincent Crabbe will have died 'last year', and 'last year' was too distant a time to have forged wounds that were still so fresh. But the happy people in her parlor had no interest in dwelling on 'last year'. And as much as looking forward and pushing onward to a happy future was what she wanted for herself as well as for them, Narcissa just wasn't quite ready to let go of her pain.

She didn't even know if they were out of danger.

Lucius may have committed atrocities that she would never know. She was thankful that her mind had been so numbed by potions during the trials when Draco was a baby that she scarcely remembered a minute. And if such depravity had been committed by her husband, Narcissa could be sure that he would soon be gone from her forever. The future for her son was equally precarious. All the more reason, she figured, that she had to pull herself together and allow herself to enjoy their happiness while she had it.

It was cold out, and Narcissa felt suddenly as though a warm blanket had been draped across her shoulders. The snowflakes were mixing with raindrops and she found herself smiling at the coziness she'd been surrounded with. "Hello Lucius," she said aloud, but in no discernable direction. If he had been looking for her for very long, he might be coming from anywhere.

"Have you ever noticed," her husband's voice came from just behind her, "that even though snow is frozen it feels colder in the rain?"

"Hadn't thought about it," she answered honestly. Narcissa felt her husband's hands on her shoulders and instinctively leaned against him, allowing Lucius to wrap his arms around her waist and kiss the top of her head.

"Your son and your sister have gone to the cellars to find the proper champagne," he informed her glibly. Narcissa chuckled under her breath.

"You've let Anny in to the wine cellar," she replied, "are you sure you're up to replacing the full collection?" she asked. Andromeda had been notorious in their youth for her ability to hold her liquor. She had been able to drink Lucius and his cronies under the proverbial table. It had been sport for the boys to tease Anny about her drinking; but she hadn't ever really been known to go to excess.

"I don't care," is what Lucius said back to her. "What I do care about," he began again, "is just why my wife is out here freezing on the lawn while there is a perfectly warm parlor full of family wishing for her company."

"The world has gone all cockeyed," she said back to him, shaking her head slowly.

"This is our world, Narcissa," Lucius replied, squeezing her tighter, "anything that's gone wrong we'll set right again."

"You sound so sure," she whispered, turning to face him. Narcissa had forgotten that she'd ever been crying, or perhaps she hadn't really ever realized that she had been. Either way, she was a little bit embarrassed by it as Lucius reached his fingers to her cheek to wipe away a stray tear. He smiled warmly at her and placed a tiny kiss on her forehead.

"Want to tell me why you're crying?" he asked quietly. Narcissa shrugged, enjoying how the slight increase in the height of her shoulders tightened their embrace just slightly.

"My tears will dry," she assured him.

"I never doubted that," he agreed. "But I do get sorely agitated at anything that makes my pretty wife sad." Narcissa smiled up at her husband. She loved it when he talked like that; his aristocratic manner was never more intact than when he felt as though someone he loves had been chagrined.

"It's been a rough year," she reminded him, as though he really needed the reminder. This time last year their home had been overrun by a garrison of Death Eaters. The Dark Lord himself had taken up residence in the North Stateroom. The last year had been half hell and half the fear of it.

"That it has, my dearest," he allowed, taking her by the elbows and leaning back to look her in the eye. "This year will be easier," he added once he had her gaze.

"You can't know that," she countered, stepping away from him and realizing suddenly that whatever spell of warmth he had cast on her earlier he had since ceased sustaining. It was even colder than it had been previous. "You're still technically an escapee," she reminded him, "and Draco and I are likely culpable in all manner of felonies." Narcissa squared her jaw and sighed. "You can't know that a band of bloody Aurors won't be busting down our still unhexable front door to haul us all away any time now," she insisted. She had just heard herself say a swear word; for the first time in years she had resorted to coarse language. Narcissa wondered for a minute if Lucius would upbraid her for such a lapse, but he seemed to be in full agreement with her sentiment and said nothing.

Narcissa hated her front door. The original, which had belonged to Malfoy Manor since it was built, had been confiscated by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and replaced with a reasonable facsimile that could not be locked by magic. She had petitioned to have her front door returned to her along with the other heirlooms and items of value that had been taken from the house that night, but she had a very distinct feeling that she would never see any of it again.

"All the more reason to enjoy the time we have," Lucius encouraged her, stepping forward to take her hand. "If the world could end tomorrow then I want to spend tonight with the people who matter to me." Narcissa grinned and rolled her eyes a little. That man had a silver tongue and he wasn't afraid to use it. But he did have a point. If Nero fiddled as Rome burned, then it was the least the Malfoys could do to kiss at midnight.

"I love you," Narcissa said to her husband, squeezing his hand and leaning her head onto his shoulder.

"I love you, pet," he said back as he let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders. "Now, let's go in the house, get warm, and rescue the wine from your sister." Narcissa smiled brightly and nodded her head.

"Tell me where to go," she offered. There were a good eight paths they might take to get back to the house from here, some taking much longer than others, and Narcissa was more than willing at this juncture to let her husband set the pace.

They had gone no more than twenty steps when they were halted by a screaming and frantic house elf. Narmin, the eldest and the tallest of the Malfoys' four elves, appeared in front of them looking as though he had just been trampled by a mountain troll. "MISSUS!" he hollered, "MASTER!"

"Narmin!" Narcissa shouted, louder than she would normally have liked, but at a volume that did not near equal his own.

"Narmin," Lucius said calmly. "What is it?" he asked.

"Ha… Ha… Ha…" Narmin stuttered, trying to say something.

"Spit it out, Narmin," Lucius instructed the nervous elf. Narmin was usually the most level headed of the group and Narcissa had to wonder just what could be so terrible as to set him off like this.

"Harry Potter!" the elf finally managed to blurt out.

"Harry… Potter?" Narcissa felt suddenly very dizzy and just a little bit nauseous. "What about Harry Potter, Narmin?" she asked, trying her very best to keep herself on an even keel.

"Coming…" Narmin began, breathing heavily, "up the walk," he wiped a tear from his grey and wrinkled face before finishing, "now."

"Oh merciful Merlin, not tonight," Narcissa muttered under her breath and then, "this is awful," just slightly louder. Hadn't she just said this was going to happen sometime? Harry Potter had become an administrator in the Auror office immediately following the battle of Hogwarts and, were she given to placing bets, she would put even money that he was here bearing warrants. "Lucius," she gasped, turning to her husband. Lucius' eyes were downcast and he nodded once to acknowledge her address. It was clear to Narcissa that her husband wasn't ready for this either.

He looked deflated, defeated, broken even. Narcissa took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Her family had come through greater calamity than a young, lone Auror on their drive and she would be damned if she let this break her completely. "Show him in to the drawing room, Narmin," she gave the elf the standard instruction for unexpected guests. "No," she corrected herself, "wait," she added. Lucius looked at her curiously. Narcissa furrowed her brow and shrugged her shoulders. "The last time Harry Potter was in that room some very dastardly things went on," she recalled, "I don't think that reminding him of such things would do any one of us any good." Lucius nodded in agreement. She knew that making Harry Potter comfortable might not be a priority for most people he meant to arrest, but she was a Black and a Malfoy; she was better than those petty criminals and she wasn't about to let decorum lapse, not even now. "Show him in to the parlor, Narmin," Narcissa instructed her elf. Narmin nodded and disapparated.

"The parlor?" Lucius sounded miffed. Narcissa shrugged, shaking her head and heading intently toward the house.

"The fire is lit," she answered, nearly charging across the slick stones of the icy walkway that led to the house. "The lights are on, there's tea," she added. "And you said Anny and Draco were in the cellars. It just makes sense."

"As usual, Mrs. Malfoy," he answered her, "your social aptitude is brilliant."

They reached the stone railing that led to the rear veranda of the manor house. The lights in the winter garden were dim and cast a golden haze onto the snow dusted surface. The light reflected off of the ice and snow, bathing the two of them in the amber glow. They were almost there; it was nearly time to face whatever Harry Potter had brought them. "I love you," Narcissa said to her husband, still walking toward the stairs. But then she stopped suddenly and turned on her heel. Lucius stopped as well, obviously wondering at her curious behavior. She looked her husband in the eye and placed her hand on his chest. "I love you," she repeated, fighting off fresh tears. It had occurred to her that this might be the last chance she ever had to tell him that privately.

"I know," he affirmed, cupping her face in both of his hands. His skin was cold against her flushed cheeks, but still his touch felt good. "And I love you, Narcissa," he said back to her. "I love you and our son and our marriage and everything that we've had for our entire adult lives. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Cissa," he shared. "And no matter what is about to happen I will always love you." Narcissa sniffled, she couldn't let herself fall apart just now; there was too much going on.

"I know," she replied, trying her best to smile at him. Lucius bent his face to hers and kissed her then; a sweet and yet passionate kiss that said more than either of them might have had they been talking. Narcissa remembered so many kisses like this one: their first, when they'd taken each other by surprise in Aunt Burgie's parlor and she'd been scared to death that he'd think less of her for it; the kiss that sealed their engagement, under the stairs in Bella's townhouse where she was just sure that they would be caught any second; the first kiss after Draco was born, sweet with the anticipation built during months of illness and worry; the first kiss after their estrangement, in the ice covered hanging garden of Russia's magical royalty; and dozens of other miraculous kisses that reminded her how blessed she was that her twenty-plus year marriage was still the passionate love affair that it had been in the beginning If she never kissed him again, she had to know it had been enough.

Minutes passed before they were willing to part lips, and when they did, Narcissa noticed that Lucius, too, was crying. "Let's go in," she encouraged, catching a tear from his eye before it made it onto his cheek. Lucius nodded. They clasped hands and walked together up the stone steps, across the veranda, and into the house.

The Malfoys took the back stairs to the second level; it was a marginally faster route, but truly their motive had been to avoid meeting Harry Potter on their way to the parlor. They knew that the young Auror would be coming through the front door, into the entrance hall, and up the grand staircase. They purposely avoided those areas.

Lucius and Narcissa arrived in the parlor first, but hadn't time to do more than take a breath before Narmin announced Harry Potter's arrival. The young man entered the room as the over tall house elf ducked out the door. Narcissa could feel a nasty expression creeping across her face and she fought very hard to appear pleasant; this could only get more difficult should she choose to be abrasive. "Mr. Potter," she greeted him coolly but without venom.

"Mrs. Malfoy," he said back, an equally cool address, but again without obvious malice.

"The new Minister has you working on New Year's Eve?" Lucius sneered, pouring himself a drink from a crystal whiskey decanter on the mantle. Narcissa widened her eyes as she cast a gaze of admonition at her husband. She knew that Lucius had a habit of being nasty to those by whom he felt threatened; it was his prime defense and a way to remind himself that he was superior to whomever it was. He smirked at her, but she was sure that he had gotten the hint.

"I had some business I wanted finished up with this year's date on them," Potter answered plainly. Narcissa swallowed hard. Here it comes….

"And would it be that business that brings you to our home tonight?" Narcissa asked him as pleasantly as she could. "Or," Narcissa had a bright idea and she decided instantly to go with it, "have you merely come to visit your godson?" she asked. Being nasty on purpose was one thing, but she was a Slytherin, and it was in her nature to be a little bit mean. Besides, she knew that bringing up the fact that Potter's godson was in her house at this very moment wouldn't really do anything to change whatever it was that he was here to do, but it might make it hurt a little and even that little victory would take the edge off the pain this night was bound to wrought. "Teddy is asleep upstairs at the moment," she informed him, suddenly smiling at herself, "but you're more than welcome to…"

"No," Harry Potter nervously interrupted. "I mean," he seemed nervous, "I didn't even know Teddy was here," he shared. Of course he hadn't. Narcissa smiled a little more sweetly; suddenly she had a tiny bit of the upper hand, and that was nice. Lucius was smiling now as well; he always enjoyed watching her cleverness at work.

"Well then, what brings you by?" an instantly relaxed Narcissa asked in a genuinely pleasant voice. "Oh, look at my manners," she quipped, "please won't you sit down?" she invited. Harry Potter seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable with each passing second. Narcissa felt quite well, in contrast, and Lucius was obviously enjoying watching her get the better of the young man. His eyes were wide and he shook his head as he answered,

"No thank you," Potter said.

"Suit yourself," Lucius chimed in again, this time with nothing sinister behind his voice. Just then a peal of laughter echoed through the room as the door flung open.

"We couldn't decide," Andromeda Tonks squealed as she and her nephew lumbered into the parlor, carrying nine bottles of champagne between them.

"So we brought all of it," Draco chimed in, stumbling to the settee in the corner in order to drop the priceless bottles onto a soft surface. Narcissa had to wait scarcely a moment before her sister noticed the visitor in the room.

"Harry Potter," An greeted, crossing the rug to shake his hand. She found presently that a handshake was rather hard to accomplish with her hands full and proceeded to dump the champagne bottles on the floor before trying again. "Nice to see you," she said to Harry, "although I might ask what you're doing here." Harry nodded his head.

"Potter," Draco practically growled. He was reaching for his wand as he crossed to stand between the Auror and his mother. Narcissa reached out her hand and placed it on her son's arm, signaling to him that there was to be no struggle with Potter: no matter what. Draco frowned at her, but complied. He left his wand in his pocket and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Malfoy," Potter said back to the younger man. He reached then into a satchel at his side and withdrew from it three folded parchments tied with red ribbon and bearing the Ministerial Seal. Narcissa felt herself falter. She took a step toward Lucius to try and mask her stumbling, but was pretty sure that Potter and the others hadn't bought it. Lucius turned to face the group and threaded his arm around his unsteady wife's waist.

"Now," Narcissa managed to say after a moment, Lucius' embrace giving her the boost she needed to continue. "I believe Mr. Potter was just about to tell us what he's come all the way to Wiltshire in the middle of the night on a snowy, rainy holiday." Narcissa found her smile again; she was sure that she looked only slightly less frightened than she actually was, but it was enough to keep composed as Potter was about to present them with those papers.

And there were three of them. Lucius was squeezing her waist and Draco had moved closer to his parents. This was the moment that they had been dreading as a family since the day that the Dark Lord had reemerged more than three years ago. Narcissa took a deep breath; perhaps living in prison would be less trying than living in fear.

"I came to deliver these," Potter said, handing the three parchments to Narcissa and then stepping away from the family.

"What have we here?" Lucius asked, trying to remain cool as he took one of the parchments from his wife and pulled at the ribbon to examine the inside.

"There's one for each of you," Potter began to answer, "you'll want to read them over." Potter sighed and adjusted his glasses on his face. "They're more complicated than I wanted," he added.

"Complicated?" Draco repeated, quirking his lip and taking a page from his mother's hand as well. "What is this, Potter?" he asked plainly.

"They're your patents of pardon," Potter answered. "One for each of you," he explained. "They're conditioned," he added, "but they're binding. I got the Minister to sign off on them last thing before I came here. I thought you would like to have them as soon as possible."

"Pardon?" Narcissa heard herself sigh. Her face must have gone white, as Andromeda practically raced to her side. She felt a little ridiculous being helped to a seat by her sister and her husband, but had not the beginning of the faculties necessary to protest the treatment. Draco put a drink in her hand and she had to concentrate on not dropping the glass to the floor. Had Potter just said 'pardon'? For each of them?

"Yes ma'am," Harry Potter affirmed for her. Lucius was unfolding the page he had taken from her. "Full pardons," he added. Andromeda sat down next to her sister and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Conditioned on what?" Lucius asked. He'd gotten the parchment unfolded, but obviously was not patient enough to read the finely printed text when there was a man present he could just ask. He seemed a bit unsteady on his feet as well, and sat himself on the arm of the sofa beside Narcissa, letting concern for his wife seem the reason instead of his own weakness. Narcissa was fine with this.

"Different things," an uncomfortable-looking Harry Potter answered. "Fines, mostly," he added. "Work on the reparations committee," he added, "And for the next ten years your primary residence must remain in Britain, you're not allowed to purchase or possess any dark artifacts, and you're not to associate with any known Death Eaters; which shouldn't be too difficult because they'll all be in Azkaban shortly."

"And that's all?" Narcissa asked in wonder. Potter shook his head.

"That's not everything," he answered her. "That's just what I can remember. But it's still a pardon. And you don't have to testify," he added, "not as a condition."

"You tell your bosses and anyone else who cares to know that I will testify," Narcissa informed him. She looked briefly to Lucius for approval, but didn't so much care that she had it. She hadn't discussed with him her inclination toward aiding the prosecution; as she would certainly not have done so were her family still in legal jeopardy. However, now with a full pardon in her hand, she was more than willing to tell the world what she knew.

"I…" Potter seemed astonished, "I'll be sure to pas that along."

"You did this, Potter?" Draco asked, unfolding the page in his own hands and beginning to examine what was printed upon it. Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"It wasn't just me," Potter shared. "Eldwin Colton, former chief at St. Mungo's, he was a very vocal supporter."

"We give him enough money," Draco grumbled.

"Draco," Narcissa snapped. It was highly inappropriate to mention money in front of people.

"It wasn't just me," Harry Potter reiterated. It seemed to Narcissa that he was a bit hesitant to discuss just who had supported them and who had denounced them. It didn't matter.

Just then the clock over the mantle chimed and all assembled turned to look.

"Thirty minutes until midnight," Andromeda observed, rising from her seat to inspect the bottles she'd set on the floor.

"And for some reason I have forty thousand Galleons worth of champagne on my parlor floor and none in my glass?" Lucius jested with his sister-in-law.

"None for me, please," Narcissa insisted. "I'm far too overcome at the moment to even entertain the notion of drinking alcohol."

"I…" Potter began, "I should be going," he said to them.

"Have something warm to drink before you go," Narcissa offered. She was not about to show less than proper hospitality to the young man who had just delivered to her a promise of no longer having to live in fear. "It's painfully cold outside," she added.

"It's getting colder," Potter said back to her. "It's colder in the rain than it was in the snow," he added. Narcissa's lip quirked. How odd that Harry Potter had said words to her that Lucius had spoken earlier in the evening.

"Then please stay for a drink," Narcissa invited. Narcissa looked at Draco, who was in turn reading the page in his hand and frowning. "Draco," she called to her son, "if you want to go to the Greengrasses," she posed, "go."

"But…" Draco was tripping over his tongue.

"It's all right," she assured her son, grasping tightly to the page in her hand. "Go and wish Tori a happy New Year." Narcissa hadn't been so sure what she thought about her son's relationship with Astoria Greengrass in the beginning. But now, five months in to their relationship, she was more happy than she knew how to express to see her son dealing with the insignificant issues that a young man his age ought to be dealing with. She wasn't exactly a fan of Tori's, but she was a better match for Draco than Pansy Parkinson had been, and Draco seemed happy- which was enough.

"See you in the morning then," Draco said to his mother, brushing past her and kissing her cheek as he went. "Happy New Year, mum," he added.

"Happy New Year, Draco," an almost annoyed sounding Lucius called after him as he was almost out the door.

"You too, dad," Draco called back over his shoulder.

"Anny," Narcissa addressed her sister, "why don't you take Harry upstairs to see Teddy. I'll have hot chocolate brought to the two of you and then we can get our guest off to wherever he'd like to be in time for midnight." Andromeda nodded and stood up.

"C'mon Harry," she encouraged, taking the young man by the arm, "That's aristocrat for 'they want to be alone for a few minutes'." Narcissa felt herself blush at her sister's revelation but chose not to say anything. "And you've not seen Teddy in near a month," An added as she pulled Harry toward the door, "he's grown more than you'd believe…." An's voice faded as she and Harry passed through the door and began down the hallway to the private stairs that would lead them to the children's wing.

Narcissa couldn't contain her smile as she stood from the sofa. Lucius stood as well. Turning quickly to face her, he scooped her up by the waist and spun her 'round twice before setting her back down and kissing her. "It's really over," she whispered, leaning into his chest once the kiss broke.

"It really is," Lucius affirmed.

"How rude do you think we would be if we weren't here when Anny got done with the baby?" Narcissa asked, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to lock herself in the bedroom with her husband and not come out for days.

"I don't think Anny would even be surprised, much less displeased," he answered, bending his head to kiss her neck.

"Let's go upstairs then," she suggested. Lucius growled in her ear, his hot breath on her neck sending gooseflesh up and down her arms and her spine. Narcissa took a step toward the door. Lucius paused behind her for a moment to pick up one of Andromeda's discarded champagne bottles. "Happy New Year, Lucius," Narcissa wished her husband as he caught up with her in the doorway.

"Yes," Lucius agreed, smiling at her as he wrapped his arm around her waist, "it is going to be at that."

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Please review- reviews are the light of my existence. And if you're a L/N fan you should check out geocitiesDOTCOM/ ss UNDERSCORE icicle as it will soon be housing an L/N archive from writers internet-wide. :) More soon.

MQ


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